The present invention relates to a braking device particularly for skates.
The problem of braking the wheels in order to adjust the speed of the skate is currently felt in conventional roller skates, whether constituted by a shoe associated with a support for two pairs of mutually parallel wheels or for in-line wheels.
It is known to use appropriate blocks or pads, usually made of rubber, which are placed at the toe or heel region of the shoe; when the user tilts the shoe forwards or backwards, the free end of the blocks or pads interacts with the ground and braking is thus achieved.
However, these solutions are not ideal, since they require the user to rotate the shoe, and therefore the frame associated therewith, at the toe or at the heel, which can cause a loss of balance with consequent falls.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,402,010 discloses a roller skate having a band that can be fastened on the user's leg above the malleolar region, a rod being connected thereto.
Said rod surrounds the rear of the leg, is then curved so as to laterally affect said leg and is associated, at its ends, in the malleolar region, with a lever system articulated to a structure protruding from the wheel supporting frame.
Said lever system protrudes at the rear of the frame and is connected to a plate that is shaped approximately complementarily to the curvature of part of an underlying and facing wheel.
The main drawback is that a relative motion occurs between the band and the leg throughout sports practice, which does not make its use comfortable due to the continuous rubbing of the band on the leg.
Furthermore, the plate is activated every time the user bends his leg backwards beyond a given angle, without true and easy possibilities of varying this condition.
Furthermore, each user has a different leg shape, so that braking is achieved at different rotation angles for an equal rod length.
Said rod also acts and presses in the malleolar region, thus causing discomfort or producing accidental impacts.
Finally, the wheel wears rapidly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,895 discloses a brake for skates with two pairs of mutually parallel wheels, which acts at the rear wheels.
Said brake is constituted by a flap associated with the shoe in a rearward position, a blade being associated in a rearward position with said flap and pivoted at the shoe supporting frame.
Said blade has, at its free end, a transverse element whereon two C-shaped elements are formed at the lateral ends, said elements interacting, following a backward rotation applied to the flap, with the rear wheels that face said elements, so as to interact with the rolling surface of said wheels.
However, even this solution has drawbacks: it is in fact structurally complicated and therefore difficult to industrialize; it also requires adapted springs for repositioning the flap in the condition wherein the two C-shaped elements do not interact with the wheels, and this further increases structural complexity.
Furthermore, the structural configuration of the brake causes the two C-shaped elements to interact with the wheel even upon a minimal backward rotation applied to the flap and consequently even for involuntary movements, thus producing undesired braking actions and, accordingly, possible losses of balance or lack of coordination.
Finally, the interaction of the C-shaped element at the rolling surface of the wheels leads to their rapid wear and therefore to non-optimum rolling, which necessarily entails continuous replacement of said wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,781 discloses a braking device for skates having pairs of mutually parallel wheels.
The device comprises a brake constituted by a blade that is pivoted transversely at the rear end of the shoe supporting frame; pads are associated with the ends of said blade and face the rolling surface of the pair of rear wheels.
The brake is activated by using a cable adapted to rotate the blade in contrast with a spring that is associated with the support for the pair of front wheels, so as to move the pads into contact with the rolling surface of the pair of rear wheels.
Said cable can be activated by means of rings or handles associated with a band that can be placed on the user's legs by virtue of temporary connection means.
However, this solution has considerable drawbacks; first of all, brake activation can lead to possible losses of balance because the user's body does not assume a correct position for controlling the sudden speed reduction; only the skater's hand is in fact involved in the activation of the brake.
Furthermore, if the skater is wearing trousers, when traction is applied to the rings the band may slip along the trousers or make them slide along the leg, hindering the braking action.
Furthermore, there is a loose cable that, in addition to being a hindrance to the skater, can accidentally catch during skating, especially since coordination of the arm-leg movement moves the legs rhythmically laterally outwards.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,596 discloses a roller-ski having braking means in addition to engagement means for the tip of a shoe. The braking means are substantially constituted by a bar protruding above a shoe supporting frame in the rear region thereof, said bar being pivoted transversely to said frame at one end and having, at the other end, a curved plate for supporting the user's calf.
A frame is associated transversely and to the rear with respect to the bar; once the bar has been rotated backwards, said frame interacts with the rolling surfaces of two wheels that are in turn freely pivoted to the shoe supporting frame.
If this brake is used for roller skates, severe drawbacks arise due to the fact that the sport practiced with a skate entails continuous oscillations of the leg that can lead to undesired activation of the braking action.
Moreover, the presence of the bar would be dangerous for the user, since it constitutes a blunt body, completely independent of the leg, which might therefore be dangerous in a fall.
Furthermore, the described solution does not allow to achieve a gradual braking action.
European Patent Application No. 93106636.9 discloses a braking device particularly for skates that comprise a shoe composed of a quarter articulated to a shell associated with a supporting frame for one or more wheels.
Said braking device comprises at least one rod member connected to the quarter and slideable with respect to the shell, said rod member having a fork-like end that interacts with one or more of the wheels beyond a presettable angle of backward rotation of the quarter.
Although this solution is undoubtedly an improvement and is valid, it has some minor drawbacks related to the fact that it is not possible to easily achieve a good graduality in the braking action, since this is mainly entrusted to the user's skill and sensitivity; the fork may furthermore jam or deform during the braking action.